Welcome to your new home! You’ve finally arrived after many months of planning, packing, and tearful goodbyes. Now that you’re settling down in a new location, it’s time to sort out all the paperwork you’ll need to establish residency (legally called domicile).
Your residency status reflects your permanent legal home, and can affect your legal rights, voting capability, and taxes. It also makes it easier to access state benefits, such as a driver’s license. If you’ve moved recently but haven’t yet started the process of changing your residency, here is a handy checklist that can help you gain some forward momentum. Gather your records and this checklist, and let’s get started.
Establish Residence:
- Purchase, rent, or otherwise occupy a dwelling in your new state. Sell or rent out your former residence if possible.
- Track time spent in all states — plan to be outside of your former state more than 183 days each calendar year.
- Change your address on all legal documents, such as passport, military ID, green card, etc.
- Register your new address with your insurance company and the Social Security Administration.
- Notify the local tax authorities in both your former state and new state to determine any new property tax benefits and relinquish any that no longer apply.
- If required by your state (state specific laws apply), file a Declaration of Domicile and have it recorded in the public county records.
Federal and State Documentation:
- Obtain a driver’s license in your new state and update your vehicle registration.
- Update your voter registration if it is a separate process in your state. (In some states, you can register to vote and update your driver’s license simultaneously.)
- File a federal tax return and make quarterly estimated tax payments, if applicable, using your new address. Work with an accountant or tax advisor if needed.
- If you have a will, living will, or other estate documents filed in your old state, meet with an estate planning attorney in your new state to determine what actions are required to maintain the validity of those documents.
Banking and Investments:
- Update all financial accounts, loan documents, and credit card statements with your new address.
- Ensure that any pension or dividend checks are mailed to your new address.
- Review your budget to account for any changes in your cash flow, such as state income taxes, insurance, utilities.
Daily Living:
- Have your mail forwarded to your new address, and update address records on all periodical subscriptions and online accounts.
- Find new medical professionals as appropriate, and have your records forwarded.
- If applicable, transfer religious organization and other club memberships to your new location.
- If applicable, obtain recreational licenses in your new location.
There are many things to update when you undertake a big move. This is just a starting point, and your unique situation may bring other considerations. Please reach out to a tax professional or financial advisor to provide guidance when necessary.
This material is being provided for educational and informational purposes only. D.A. Davidson & Co. is a registered broker-dealer and registered investment adviser that does not provide tax or legal advice. Information contained herein has been obtained by sources we consider reliable but is not guaranteed and we are not soliciting any action based upon it. Any opinions expressed are based on our interpretation of the data available to us at the time of the original article. These opinions are subject to change at any time without notice. Copyright D.A. Davidson & Co., 2025. All rights reserved. Member FINRA and SIPC.